ROWNHAMS cueman Neil Carroll described it as the “result of my career”.

The 51-year-old defeated an ex-professional in a qualifying tournament for the World Seniors Championship at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury.

Following a 3-0 victory over home player Pat Patel, Carroll edged Les Dodd 3-2 on a re-spotted black in the second round.

All matches on the World Seniors Tour that reach 2-2 are decided by a re-spotted black.

A former world number 36, Dodd, 61, now runs a snooker club in Southport on Merseyside.

Carroll then lost 3-0 to Matt Ford (Bracknell) in the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, Mike Finn retained top spot in the race for a Q School place on the Cuestars South of England Championship Tour.

The 31-year-old from Eastleigh, who won last month’s first leg in Swindon, made a 3-2 quarter-final exit at the hands of Christian Chislett (Basingstoke) in the Ahmad Tea-sponsored second leg at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

Earlier, Finn recorded the day’s highest break of 110 against Stewart Crosswell. The pair used to compete together in the host club’s Saturday morning junior league.

Also in the last-eight, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford) went down 3-0 to Paul Bunyard (Aldershot), the eventual tournament winner. Adam Nash (Bitterne) was beaten 3-1 by former English Under-18 Champion Mark Lloyd (Gosport). And Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge) lost 3-2 to former Welsh international Callum Lloyd. The 40-strong field returned 28 breaks of 50 or more.

Oliver Sykes, 11, missed the yellow with the rest on a run of 80 against English Under-14 Champion Olly Gibbs in the Eastleigh & District Under-19 League.

Defending champion Sykes climbed to third in the Premier, one point behind Steven Hughes who is two adrift of Gibbs.

Riccardo Drayton closed the gap to Under-13 Premier leader O’Shay Scott to one point.

Phil Morgan powered his way up to second in the Open Series rankings after beating former Town Champion Mark Benzey 3-1 in the week-seven final.

Morgan is two points adrift of Connor Benzey and four ahead of Riley Ellis.